


Beginnings and Endings

by necromorphs



Series: Mahanon Lavellan and the Merry Crew [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Death, Fenris Needs a Hug, Friendship, Gen, Loss, Suicide, Varric and hawke, Varric needs a hug, suicide implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-09
Updated: 2016-01-09
Packaged: 2018-05-12 20:43:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5680060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necromorphs/pseuds/necromorphs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The epic friendship of Garrett Hawke and Varric Tethras begins with "Varric Tethras, at your service."</p>
<p>It ends with "Varric, you have a letter."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beginnings and Endings

“You know, Chuckles, I think you’re cheating,” Varric grumbled, all but slamming his losing hand on the table.

Solas scooped up his sizable winnings and started stacking the coins next to his already large pile.

“Of course not, Master Dwarf, I’m simply the superior player,” he replied.

Varric shook his head and leaned around to wave to the bartender. His path was blocked by the Inquisitor, brandishing a handful of letters.

“Fan mail?” Dorian asked. “Do I need to be jealous?”

“I wouldn’t call it fan mail,” Mahanon said, shaking his head. He nudged Varric until the dwarf scooted over, and then sat between him and Dorian. “More… Disgruntled letters from my Keeper. And, oh! Varric, you’ve got a letter.”

“Oh? Does it have coin?” Varric asked, reaching for it absently while he watched Solas shuffle cards.

“No, it’s from… Somebody with incredibly bad handwriting. I think this says-”

“Fenris.” Varric plucked the letter from Lavellan’s long fingers and opened it. “Hurry it up, Chuckles, we don’t have all day.”

“All day to lose your coin, you mean,” Dorian said. He had opted out four rounds ago, preferring to keep the rest of his money.

“Oh, Sparkler, you wound…” Varric trailed off quite suddenly, and every head at the table turned to him.

“Varric.” Mahanon's voice was urgent. “Varric, what’s wrong?”

The dwarf’s face had drained of color, and his eyes darted from side to side, blinked, and then repeated at the top of the letter.

“Maker… Maker, no, I…” Varric stuttered, and Mahanon felt a flutter of fear in his chest. The dwarf was rarely stunned silent. Slowly the letter drifted down onto the table, and Varric stared at it.

Mahanon inched over a bit to read it and, when Varric didn’t stop him or make any noise besides a sob that made the Inquisitor’s gut twist, he slipped the letter away.

The writing was hard to decipher in part because of the messy writing of a child, and because it seemed to be smudged by water droplets in many places, making the inky lines bleed.

 

—————————————  
Varric,  
Hawke is dead. I had gone to the market for grain and when I came back I found him in our bed room.  
I contacted Anders. He said that he could not help.  
I am sorry that I was not enough to keep your friend alive. Or my lover.  
-Fenris  
—————————————

 

Mahanon stared at the letter, mouth open for so long that he didn’t notice the appearance of the rogue beside him until he spoke.

“Darkness closing,” Cole said. “Choking and embracing, dark and somehow the light at the end of the tunnel. He wanted to go to his family. They’re together now. He’s not in pain anymore.”

“I thought we were his family.” Varric stood and took the letter. He said nothing else as he walked out of Herald’s Rest.


End file.
